On Monday, Brazilian police arrested Italian drug lord Rocco Morabito. A fugitive with ties to the powerful ‘Ndrangheta criminal gang, he was arrested with two other foreigners in a hotel room.
Morabito was arrested in a hotel room in the northeastern coastal city of João Pessoa, Brazil’s Justice Ministry said. Two other foreigners were also arrested with him, one of whom was another Italian fugitive.
Italian police involved in arrest
The Federal Police issued a statement saying Morabito had been arrested in Uruguay in 2017. He had been on the run for 22 years. He escaped from jail in Uruguay in 2019; that is when Brazilian authorities started an investigation into him.
The Federal Police said Italian police travelled to Brazil for the arrest and had a hand in the operation.
“(Morabito) was considered the second most wanted criminal in Italy and accused of involvement with the ‘Ndrangheta, considered one of the largest and most powerful criminal organisations in the world,” the Justice Ministry said.
It added that Morabito has a 30-year prison sentence in Italy.
Brazil key in European drug trade
In recent years, Brazil has moved record loads of cocaine to Europe. Brazilian gangs work with Italian, Dutch and Balkan criminals.
Morabito’s arrest in the northeast of Brazil hints at a growing trend in cocaine shipments from the poorer region of the country. This is due to growing scrutiny in the major ports of south-eastern Brazil.
Who are the ‘Ndrangheta?
The ‘Ndrangheta is based in the southern Italian region of Calabria. It is the most powerful mafia gang in the country, surpassing the Cosa Nostra. It is also one of the largest crime gangs in the world.
In 2013, according to a study by the Demoskopika Research Institute, they allegedly made €53 billion.
In December 2019, police arrested more than 300 people in Calabria on suspicion of belonging to the ‘Ndrangheta. The operation involved 2,500 police. Among those arrested was Giancarlo Pittelli, a prominent lawyer and former member of Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party.
The trial of the 300 plus alleged gang members started on 13 January 2021.
